As Loris Karius stepped out onto the Kyiv turf for the Champions League final back in 2018, nobody expected it to be his last competitive game in a Liverpool shirt. The German goalkeeper had kept more clean sheets than any other shot-stopper in the tournament that season and the Reds had every chance of emerging victorious at the NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium against the European behemoth that is Real Madrid.
Fast forward to full-time and a tearful Karius was being consoled by his manager, team-mates and even Madrid attacker Gareth Bale. The Welshman had fired a brace beyond the goalkeeper minutes earlier, the first of which should have been a routine save for a goalkeeper of his quality.
Karius had also gifted Madrid their first goal, inexplicably rolling the ball into the path of Karim Benzema as he closed down what should have been an ordinary goal-kick. Tests in the days after the 3-1 defeat showed signs of concussion but that didn't matter to fans.
